Cracker bowl



Oct. 1933- G. 1.. TILLOTSON CRACKER BOWL Filed Oct. 31, 1931 //\/ME/\/ 75 6. L. TILLOTSON T-FU NEW Patented Get. 24', 1933 CEACKER BOWVL George L. Tillotson, Portland, reg., assignor of one-half to Clifford L. May, Portland, Oreg.

Application October 31, 1931. Serial No. 572,383

Claims.

This invention relates generally to' containers for dispensing crackers, and particularly to those having means for forcibly feeding the crackers from the containers.

The main object of this invention is to provide a cracker bowl especially adapted to dispense small round crackers commonly known as oyster crackers.

The second object is to construct a cracker bowlespecially adapted for use in restaurants and eating houses in which the table space is limited, and in which it is desired to protect the crackers from contamination, it being possible to touch only those crackers which are actually delivered to the user.

The third object is to so construct the cracker bowl that it will lend itself to inexpensive manufacturing methods, and also that it will not be rendered inoperative by improper operation.

These, and other objects, will become more apparent from the specification following, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing,. in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the device i being operated.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 in.

Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 55 in Fig. 2.

Similar numbers of reference refer to the same i or similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring in detail to the drawing, there is shown a rectangular box-like base having a perforated bottom 11 on the under side of which are the feet 12 upon which the device rests.

Mounted within the base 10 is a semi-circular trough 13 whose lateral edges merge into the sloping sides 14. Between the sides 14 is a sloping back 15 which is divided by a slot 16. Within the trough 13 is a hollow semi-cylindrical plunger 17 whose top side 18 is horizontal and can pass underneath the lower edge of the back 15. The front and rear ends of the plunger 17 are preferably closed by the semi-circular ends 19 and 20.

The under side of the trough 13 is provided with a slot 21. On the top side 18 of the plunger 17 is mounted an inclined agitator 22 which projects through the slot 16. In the front side 23 of the base 10 is formed an opening 24 which extends from the bottom of the trough 13 to the hinge 25 near the upper edge of the box 10, to which hinge is attached a door 26 which is connected to the plunger 17 by the connecting rod 2'7,

in order that an outward movement of the plunger 1'? will cause the door 26 to open. The 60 trough 13 has an outwardly flaring lip 28 which is carried well up above the line of the top 18. In some instances it may be desirable to provide the door 26 with inturned flanges (not shown) which will at all times project within the open- 5 ing 24.

Mounted in the lower portion of the base 10 and transversely with the plunger 17 is a rock shaft 29 which journals at its ends in the base 10. On the shaft 29 is secured an arm 30 whose 7 upperend 31 passes through an opening 32 in the bottom of the plunger 17, which in this case consists of a pair of notches formed the adjacent edges 33 of the material from which the plunger '17 is formed. The end 31 has a laterally 7 turned tip 34. On the shaft 29 is a spring 35 adapted to urge the arm 30 and its attached plunger 17 toward a retracted position. To the shaft 29 is attached a key arm 36 on whose forward end is a key 37 by means of which the de- 30 vice may be operated. Obviously, the arm 36 may be made a part of or attached to the arm 30 without departing from the spirit of this invention. In this case, the key 37 might project through a curved slot in the base 10.

The rear wall 38 of the base 10 is divided along its middle by the vertical edges 39 which are held in fixed relationship at their lower ends by the upturned flanges 40 of the bottom 11, while the upper ends are united by a plate 41, as shown in Fig. 5, in which the lugs 42 of the plate 41 pass through corresponding openings 43 in the rear wall 38. Along the upper edges of two sides of the base 10 are formed the beads 44 which engage corresponding beads 45 on the lower edge of the square glass magazine 46. The upper edge of the magazine 46 is provided with a groove 47 to receive the inturned flanges 48 of the closure 49. The closure 49 is slidable with relation to the magazine 46 and one of its sides does not have a flange 48 depending therefrom.

The operation of the device is as follows: Crackers 50 are placed within the magazine 46 and the closure 49 is placed in position. Crackers can be taken from the bowl only by depressing the key 37 while placing the hand under the lip 28. Whether the operation be fast or slow or whether the key 37 remains depressed, an approximately uniform number of crackers will be dispensed at a single operation of the arm 36. The crackers will not continue to pass out of the opening 24 but will arch over same, and if any of them project past the front 23 they will be pushed back as the door 26 again closes into the space provided for them when the plunger 17 is retracted. If any fine crumbs fall through the slot 21 and become deposited on the bottom 11 they may escape through the perforations therein instead of accumulating within the base 10. It can also be seen that the agitator 22 will insure the crackers finding their way into the trough 13 and prevent any arching of the crackers within the magazine 46.

Should the magazine 46 become broken, it may easily be replaced by removing the screw 51 from the plate 41 which will permit the edges 39 of the base 10 to separate.

I am aware that many forms of cracker bowls have been constructed in the past. I therefore do not intend to cover such devices broadly, but I do intend to cover all such forms and modifications thereof as fall fairly within the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cracker bowl having in combination a magazine, a trough in the lower portion of said magazine opening out of one side thereof, a door for said opening hinged to said magazine, a plunger in said trough operatively connected with said door, and means for actuating said plunger.

2. A cracker bowl consisting of an upright base section including a horizontal trough and a plurality of sloping sides converging into said trough, said trough opening through a side Wall of said base, a plunger within said trough, lever means for actuating said plunger, a door hinged to said wall of said base at one end of said trough and separated from the nearest end of said plunger and operably connected thereto, and an agitator attached to .said plunger projecting into the space above said sloping sides.

3. In a cracker bowl, the combination of a base, a horizontal trough mounted in said base opening through one end thereof, the open end of said trough having a lip projecting therefrom, a door hinged in front of the open end of said trough, a plunger slidably mounted within said trough adapted to eject crackers therefrom, a connecting ro-d between said door and plunger, lever means for actuating said plunger, and a spring for urging said plunger toward a retracted position.

4. A cracker bowl having in combination an upright base, a magazine mounted above said base, a horizontal trough between said magazine and base, a plunger for ejecting crackers from said trough through the side of said base, a door hinged to said base at the outlet of said trough and spaced from said plunger, a connecting rod joining said door to said plunger, an agitator on said plunger, and a removable closure for the upper end of said magazine.

5. In a cracker bowl, the combination of an upright base, a horizontal trough mounted within said base discharging through one side thereof and having an outwardly projecting lip at its discharge end, a door hingedly mounted at the outlet end of said trough, a plunger normally occupying the opposite end of said trough, a connecting rod between said plunger and door, a magazine over said trough, a rock shaft mounted in said base below said trough and normal thereto, an arm on said shaft operably connected to said plunger, a key arm on said shaft, and -a spring for urging said plunger toward a retracted position.

GEORGE L. 'IILLOTSON. 

